Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to a method of producing an article formed from a hard coat laminate. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to a method of producing an article, which is formed from a hard coat laminate having high transparency, high surface hardness, high abrasion resistance, and high surface smoothness, and a good appearance, and can be suitably used as a display face plate for a touch panel and a transparent conductive substrate.
In accordance with another embodiment, there is provided an article formed from a hard coat laminate including a poly(meth)acrylic imide resin layer. More specifically, another embodiment of the invention relates to an article, which is formed from a hard coat laminate including a poly(meth)acrylic imide resin layer having high transparency, high surface hardness, high bending resistance, high surface smoothness, a good appearance, high rigidity, high heat resistance, and high dimensional stability, and can be suitably used as a display face plate for a touch panel and a transparent conductive substrate.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a touch panel installed on an image display device, such as a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, or an electroluminescent display and allowing the user to perform an input by touching the display with a stylus pen or a finger while viewing the display has been popular.
Conventional display face plates for touch panels and transparent conductive substrates have been formed of articles including glass substrates to satisfy required properties such as heat resistance, dimensional stability, high transparency, high surface hardness, and high rigidity. Unfortunately, glass has disadvantages such as low impact resistance, high fragility, low processability, difficulties in handling, high specific gravity, and difficulties in dealing with the requirements of formation of curved display surfaces and formation of flexible display surfaces. These disadvantages lead to active investigation about materials alternative to glass. A large number of hard coat laminates including a transparent resin film substrate composed of triacetylcellulose, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, poly(methyl methacrylate), norbornene polymer, and the like, and a hard coat disposed on the surface of the substrate and having high surface hardness and abrasion resistance have been proposed.
These hard coat laminates can be cut into display face plates for touch panels and transparent conductive substrates. At this time, often a support having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on at least one surface, such as a surface protective film, may be temporarily bonded to the hard coat laminate to prevent the hard coat laminate from being fouled. Unfortunately, deficits such as generation of cracks tend to be readily caused when such a hard coat laminate having surface hardness and abrasion resistance enhanced for a display face plate for a touch panel and a transparent conductive substrate is subjected to a cutting operation and the support is then peeled off from the hard coat.
These conventional hard coat laminates often have insufficient heat resistance and dimensional stability. Furthermore, deficits such as generation of cracks in the hard coat may be also readily caused at and/or near the curved cutting lines, particularly those having a small curvature radius, during cutting of the hard coat laminate into a display face plate for a touch panel and a transparent conductive substrate.